If you’re using fresh spinach remove the stems, and then rinse and dry the leaves thoroughly. Chop roughly and set aside. If you’re using frozen spinach, squeeze out as much of the moisture as possible and set aside.

Put the ghee or vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Cut the paneer into ½-inch cubes and add it to the pan. Cook, tossing frequently, until the cheese is lightly browned on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the paneer with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the onion to the pan and sauté, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, spice mixture, turmeric and a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Turn the heat up to medium and add the spinach to the pan all at once. Cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach is wilted (or until the frozen spinach is warmed through), 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the buttermilk and cream and simmer until thickened, another 3 to 5 minutes (add more buttermilk and/or cream if the mixture seems dry). Taste and add more salt if necessary, along with the nutmeg and some pepper. Stir in the paneer and serve.

Using an electric coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle, grind the spices together as finely as possible. This spice mixture can be stored in an airtight container for a few weeks, but its potency will decrease over time.

Toast chopped walnuts in sauté pan on top of stove over medium heat, watching them carefully, and stirring them occasionally. It takes me about 5 minutes to begin smelling the aroma, which lets me know they’re done. When they are just beginning to toast, dumping them out quickly onto a saucer will slow the browning process down dramatically. (You don’t want to burn them, which can happen in a heart beat: that’s why you watch them carefully.)

Preheat oven to 350º.

Prepare loaf pans by either using a baking cooking spray, or by wiping them down with shortening (or butter), and then coating them with flour ( about a tablespoon full of flour, shaken around the pan until all sides are coated). This will help the loaves slide out of the pan, and onto your cooling rack.

Beat sugar and oil in a large mixing bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Stir into pumpkin mixture in two additions. Fold in toasted walnuts.

Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes, depending on your oven, and they type of loaf pan you used. (Glass loaf pans tend to take longer than metal loaf pans, for example.) Using a sharp knife, loosen bread from the sides of the loaf pans. Turn loaves out onto cooling racks, and cool completely.